Condenser



Aug. 12, 1930. J. F. GRACE CONDENSER Filed March 8, 1928 JOHN F. G

l VENTOR ATTORN EY ACE.

Patented Aug. l2, WBG

entrain srarss @FFEQE JOHN F. GRACE, OF ARLINGTON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO WORTHINGTON PUMP AND MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. 'Y., A CORPORATION OF VIB- GINIA.

CONDEN Application filed March 8,

This invention relates to steam condensers of the surface type and the primary object of the invention is to provide a condenser in which the cooling water. which not treated 55 for purification, is circulated through the tubes of the condenser, and its mixing with and contamination of boiler feed water which is, in present pure water power plant s terns treated to eliminate to the greatest possible 19 extent corrosion and other detrimental action on the boiler tubes and other mechanism employed in the power plant, will be prevented.

To overcome such leakage. it is necessary to provide fluid tight connections between the 15 tubes and the heads of the condenser, and in t-nrcs in the condenser.

The present invention embodies a condenser having a tube sheet into which. the ends of the, condenser tube are expanded. movably mounted and connected to the con denser shell by gasket or fluid tight expan- Sion joint and one which includes suitable supporting means for relieving the expansion joint ot' the stress of the weight. of the moveablc parts of the condenser and of the tubes which are connected to the tube sheet without interfering with the movement of the tube head under the expansion and con traction of the tubes.

With these objects in view, the invention consists in various features of construction and combination of parts. which will be first described in connection with the accompany ing' drawings, showing a condenser of the preferred form embodying the invention, and

1928.;. Seria1 No. 260,019.

the features forming the invention will be s 'iccilicallypointed out in the claims.

In. the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation partly in section of a condenser showing one embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 an end elevation of the condenser.

Referring more particularly to the drawings. the condenser comprises a shell 1 in which is located suitable tube heads, one of which is shown at 2, it beinc understood that the other tube head is mounted within the condenser shell in the approved conventional manner. The exhaust steam to be condensed enters the condenser through the X- haust nlet IE and passes therethrough, transof the tubes 4 while the condensate is delivered to a suitable hot well (not shown,) from which it is drawn off in the usual manner. The tubes 4 have their ends expanded into the vtube sheets to provide 'tluid tight joints and prevent the leakage of cooling water which is circulated through the tubes in the usual approved manner for condensing the steam.

In the form illustrated. the tube sheet 2 i: connected to the water box 10 as clearly shown at 11 in Fig. 1 of the drawings. and the tube sheet 2 and water box 10 are connected to the condenser shell l by a flexibl gaslretl? which may be formed of rubber. a composition of rubber and fabric or any suitable material found practicable for the pur pose and which not subject to ready corrosion and deterioration by the action of the water and steam thereon.

The tube sheet 2 and water box 10. being connected to the condenser casing 1 by the expansion joint 12 are movable relative to the condenser casing: upon expansion and contraction of the tubes 4 so as to compensate for such expansion and contraction and prevent rupturing of the connection between the tubes and the tube sheets.

Owing to the relatively great weight of the tube sheet 2. the adjacent portions of the tubes which are attached thereto and the water box 10, moveablc supporting means is provided for supporting the water box independently of the expansion joint 12 and to relieve the expansion joint of the stresses due to the weights of the parts above mentioned. In the'forms shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, rollers 14 are provided which are connected to the drawings 10 by a bracket or brackets 15 and these rollers move over a suitable supporting surface as indicated at 16 so as to provide supported movement of the tube sheet 2 and water box 10.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings, it will be noted that nioveahle means either in the form of the tube sheet alone or of the tube sheet and the water box are provided for compensating for the expansion and contraction of the tubes and that these moveable means are supported for movement by suitable rollers.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific construction or arrangement of parts shown but that these may be modified widely within the invention defined by the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a condenser, a shell, a tube sheet, a water box, tubes having fluid tight connection with said tube sheet, an expansion joint between said tube sheet and Water box and said shell to permit movement of the tube sheet and water box relative to the shell, and supporting rollers carried by said water box for supporting the water box and tube sheet independently of said shell.

2. In a condenser, a shell, a tube sheet, a water box, a flexible fluid tight connection between the tube sheet and shell, a bracket attached to the outside of the water box and a roller carried by said bracket to permit supported movement of the water box and tube sheet independently of said shell.

3. In a condenser, a shell, a water box, a tube sheet, tubes having fluid tight connection with said tube sheet, an expansion joint between the tube sheet and shell, a bracket carried by said water box, a rotatable roller carried by said bracket to permit supported movement of the water box and tube sheet.

4. In a condenser, the combination with a support independent of the condenser, of a shell, a water box, a tube sheet, an expansion joint, said tube sheet and water box connected to said shell by said expansion joint, and means carried by said water box and engaging said support to permit supported movement of said Water box and tube sheet.

5. In a condenser, the combination with a support independent of the condenser, of a shell, 2. water box, a tube sheet, an expansion joint, said tube sheet and water box connected to said shell by said expansion joint, and a roller carried by said water box and engaging said support to permit supported movement of said water box and tube sheet.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOHN F. GRACE. 

